EU backs Lacoste crocodile against Polish firm's caiman logo
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
01.10.2015 13:38
The General Court of the European Union has upheld a decision by the EU's trademark office to block a logo of a Polish company that was deemed similar to French fashion firm Lacoste's crocodile.
Photo: GlowImages
The court found that “there is a likelihood of confusion, given that the general public is likely to believe that the goods bearing the signs at issue come from the same undertaking or from economically linked undertakings.”
Polish firm Mocek and Wenta had applied to the EU's Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) for a permit to use a logo of a caiman with regards to goods including bags, footwear and clothing.
However, French giant Lacoste, famed worldwide for its crocodile logo, filed a notice of opposition, and the OHIM declined to approve the Polish logo.
Mocek and Wenta then applied to the General Court of the EU to have OHIM's decision annulled, but the court ultimately favoured the French brand.
The Polish company has two months in which it is entitled to appeal against the court's decision. (nh/rk)
Source: curia.europa.eu
Click on this link to compare both logos